Plasticized refrigerator cabinet



Patented Feb. `.'i',

2,394,134 ms'rrcrznn REFRIGERATOR cAnnvE'r Russell W. Ayres," Evansville, Ind., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Seeger-Sunbeam Corporation, a corporation of Minnesota Application october s, 1941, serial No. 414,164

' 2 claims. (on zo-os') My invention relates to refrigerator cabinets,

and more especially to improvements in refrig- A form for the several component slab-like eler ments of the cabinet which requires a minimum number of pieces and joints (in fact, there is only one continuous joint in the food compartment apart from the door seal) to produce the food and auxiliary compartments required, and in which the interiitted pieces are so arranged that they provide adequate support for each other at what otherwise might be relatively weak regions and' also so arranged that the cabinet as a Whole is given an unusual degree of strength and rigidity;

Inexpensive slab elements, which may be formed by a thick layer of insulating cellular maberial, with plasticize'd surfaces;

Simple, inexpensive, and easilyapplied devices for holding the component parts together;

Elimination of the necessity of separate linersand outer jackets for the cabinet;

Employment of the plasticizedsurfacing of the cellular slab elements for any of-but preferably for a consolidation of all of-the three-fold functions of (a) sealing the cellular material against ingress of moisture, (b) reinforcing or strengthening the low structural strength cellular matev Incidental hardware, such as feet, shelf supports, hinges, latches and the like, peculiarly suitable for incorporation in this type of refrigerator cabinet. Y

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following description andthe accompanying drawing of a specic embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 0f which there is one sheet:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in transverse vertical section of a refrigerator cabinet embodying my invention;

Fig. 2is a section taken on the plane of the line 2-f2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of a portion of the plasticized insulating material employed in the cabinet illustrated in Figs. liand 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a refrigerator cabinet I0 has a body portion which consists lessentially* of a. combined side wall and top unit II which is in the form of an inverted U. A combined back wall and compartment bottom member I2, which may have the same structural characteristics as the body portion of the cabinet, is adapted to fit into the U-shaped side wall and top member to form a refrigerator compartment. A door I3 is mounted to close the open side of the refrigerator cabinet.

The combined side wall and top unit II has straight vertical side wall portions I4 and I5, and a transverse web portion I6 forming the top of the cabinet. The web portion I6 preferably is arched slightly as illustrated' in Fig. 1 to provide a. pleasing contour, -The corner portions between the upper ends ofthe side Walls and the web portion I6 preferably are curved on rather generous radii for the double purpose of permitting the insulating material comprising the side Walls to be bent without rupture, and to improve the appearance of the finished product. The combined back wall and bottom member I2 has a vertically disposed'stright back wall portion II, the upper end of which is shaped to lit within the upper ,end of the combined side wall and top unit I I, the

lower end of the member I2 being bent forwardly at substantially right angles to provide a bottom I8.

A plurality of tie rods I9 are threaded through oppositely positioned pairs of holes in the side walls It and I5 of the unit II and through registering holes provided transversely of the combined back wall and ubottom unit II. Each of the tie rods I9 is provided with nuts 20 threaded on the ends thereof, the nuts 20 being drawn' down to force the sidewalls I4 and I5 tightly against the lateral edges of the combined back wall and bottom member I2.

Enlarged recesses 2| are provided in the side walls at the outer ends of each-of -the rod-receiving openings to receive the nuts 20, and these single continuous llet seals all of the joints ofv the compartment, save for the door seal.

A plurality of. shelf support pins 26 may be provided onV the side walls I4 and l5, these pins as illustrated each comprising a plastic button portion 2i (see'Fig. 3) with a central metal core 28. The metal core 28 projects beyond the base of the button portion to penetrate the insulating material comprising the walls of the cabinet. 'Ihe p ins thus obtain a dual support, both from the adhesion of the plastic button portion 2l to the cabinet wall, and the penetration of the metal core 28 into the body of the wall itself.

The door I3 may be of conventional construction, but preferably is of the same type of construction as the cabinet IB. As illustrated, the door I3 comprises a panel "or slab of insulating material having a plasticized shell of limited pentration, coating and impregnating the entire exposed surface area of the door in the same manner as the ,body members II and I2. The

door I3 may be mounted on the cabinet I I) as by means of suitable hardware includinga latch 24 and hinges 25.

A resilient sealing strip 3U is secured to the rear face of the marginal portion of the door I3 in a position to have compressive engagement, when the' door is closed, with the frontal exposed edges of the members I2, I4, I5 and I6 comprising the bottom, sides and top respectively of the refrigerator storage compartment,

The side walls |4 and I5 of the member extend downwardly below the bottom I8 of the combined back wall and bottom member I 2 to form the side walls of a compartment which may be used for non-refrigerated storage space,\or

38 is provided at the lower end of each of the openings for the .shanks 33 to receive the leg leveler 3l and to permit vertical adjustment of these members by threaded movement on the head portions 36.

An ornamental bottom rail 39 vis mounted across the front edge of the base member 3|, being secured in position thereon as by means of an angle iron bracket 33, which is fastened to the 7 bottom member and to the front rail 33 yas by screws 4| and 42. A pair of recesses are provided in the upper edge ofthe bottom rail to receive a pair of pins 33, which are mounted in, and project slightly below, the bottom edge of a removable panel i3 which is adapted to close the space between the lower edge of the refrigerator cabinet door I3 and the base 3|.

A spring catch d5 is provided on the inner face of the panel 43 and is'adapted to engage a pin 46 which is mounted to project downwardly from the compartment bottom portion I3. The panel 44 may be mounted in position by inserting the pins 43 in the recesses in the upper edge of the rail 39, and then, by swinging the upper end of the panel i4 inwardly, the spring catch 35 may be forced into latched engagement with'the pin 36. The panel may be removed by reversing this procedure.

Various types of insulating board may be used to make the pre-formed plasticized unit for my improved refrigerator cabinet, such for instance as the type made from shredded wood, corn or flax bers or the like, the principal features required of this insulatingmaterial being that it,

shall have satisfactory insulating characteristics,

and that it shall' have suiicientmechanical y strength to |cooperate with the shell formed by the limited penetration of the plastic coating material `which is applied thereto, to form, with the shell, a strong, light, completely self-supporting and hermetically sealed unit.

Various types of plasticizing material may be used, as for instance a phenol-formaldehyde plastic substance, soybean plastic, and others, the principal feature with respect to the plastic being that it shall'have limited impregnation into the body of the insulating material comprising.

. the unit, and shall provide a hard, smooth, moisture-impervious surface suitable for paintmay be used to house suitable refrigerating mechanism, not illustrated. A base member 3| may be of suitable material such as formed sheet metal or plasticized insulating material, and, as illustrated, extends the entire width of the cabinet, so that the lower ends of the side portions I4 and I5 may rest upon the base member 3|.

'I'he base member 3| may be joined to the side walls I4 and I5 as by .combined bolt and leg levelers 32. Each leg leveler 32 has a threaded shank portion 33 which passes through an opening in the bottom 3| and through passages provided in the side walls |4and I5 in registry with ing.v The material also should be capable of withstanding the temperatures .involved in the baking schedules of modern types of finishes, but since most plastics are cured at a temperature in excess of many of the suitable finishes, this factor is of merely incidental importance.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I doy not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.V I claim:

1. A refrigerator cabinet formed by a combined side wall and top member of inverted U shape, a .combined back wall and compartment bottom member of L shape, the L-shaped member having close intertting engagement within the U-shaped member to form a forward opening food compartment, the legs of the U-shaped member extending downwardly below the bottom of the L-shaped member to form side enclosure walls of a storage compartment below the food compartment, and transverse horizontal tie rods extending in a medial plane through the horizontal and vertical portions of the L-shaped member and through the vertical sides of the U-shaped member, and a bottom closure member secured transversely across the lower end of the storage compartment and having reinforcing connection with the side of the U-shaped member.

2. In a refrigerator construction, the combination of aside and top wall unit consisting of a single thick slab o f rigid fibrous heat-insulating material having substantially right angle bends at the two upper cornersy thereof forming' two side walls and a top wall, and a second back wall and bottom unit of the same material, comprising a single slab of suiiicient width to ilt in between the side walls and having a back wall portion located between the side walls and ush with the rear edge thereof and having a substantially right angle bend joining the back wall to the bottom wall for the refrigerator compartment, said bottom wall extending between the side walls and having its forward edge flush with the forward edges of the side and top -walls, means for securing said sideF walls in clamping relation to said back and bottom wall unit, said vmeans comprising transverse horizontal tie rods extending in a medial plane through the horizontal and vertical portions of the back wall and through the vertical walls of the side walls,rand a layer of initially plastic material coveringvand impregnating only to a predetermined degree-'the inner surface of said refrigerator compartment, and another similar coating on the outer surface of said refrigerator and all parts of said two units, the said plastic providing ja relatively hard waterproof and air-tight coating on the external parts of said fibrous insulation and covering the joints between said units. Y

. RUSSELL W. AYRES. 

